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South African Oiled Penguin Rescue Scores Record Results

Wednesday, August 16, 2000

Cape Town, South Africa

Eight weeks into the world's worst ever oil-spill bird disaster, rescuers from
the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW -- www.ifaw.org) are beginning
to count the cost of the successful, intensive and non-stop care of more than
20,000 African penguins -- and the figures loom large.

As of today, more than 11,000 individuals have donated the equivalent of 39,614
volunteer days to assist with the rescue and rehabilitation of the penguins
affected by a massive oil spill caused by the June 23 sinking of the ore carrier
MV Treasure. This equates to no less than 554,596 hours or 63.31 years of
volunteers' time at an average of 14 hours worked daily.

"The figures are
astounding," said Sarah Scarth, IFAW Country Director for South Africa and
co-coordinator of IFAW's Emergency Relief Team, which over the course of the
penguin rescue was joined by more than 102 international oiled wildlife experts
to assist in the effort.

Scarth said the record-breaking figures were,
"exact testimony to why the world simply can not afford to allow oil spills -
however big or small - to continue to happen.

"Oil spills are hugely
expensive, vastly time consuming and - in this case - have placed the survival
of an entire species at risk."

The MV Treasure - estimated to be carrying
1,300 metric tons of fuel oil - sank 8 kilometers (5 miles) off the coast of
Cape Town, spilling its fuel and critically endangered 41 per cent of the
African Penguin population (classified as vulnerable under IUCN
guidelines).

The management of this penguin crisis has been a partnership
between the IFAW Emergency Relief Team and the South African National Foundation
for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). SANCCOB estimates its immediate
costs in caring for the birds at R13-million (nearly US$2 million), while IFAW
is expecting its bill to top R3.5-million (US$500,000).

A total of 20,223
penguins (including 723 chicks) have been cared for at two centers run by
IFAW/SANCCOB in the Cape Town suburbs of Salt River and Rietvlei, while 13,797
of the birds have been washed clean of the MV Treasure´s leaked fuel
oil.

To date, IFAW and SANCCOB have released back to the wild more than
7,000 rescued and rehabilitated penguins, and hope to release a total of 10,000
by the end of this week.

Caring for these birds is no small task. So far
the birds have consumed 353 metric tons of sardines (pilchards), costing
R882,500 (nearly US$130,000) in total. Much funding for this effort has come
from generous members of the public who have donated goods or funds to save
these penguins.

"The South African government - like many worldwide -
does not have funds set up to support animal welfare programs through crisis
periods," commented Scarth. "This disaster has clearly illustrated the essential
need for bridging finance schemes that will allow coastal communities and NGOs
to be to able to cope in such disasters."

In addition to caring for the
penguins, the rescue efforts had to manage up to 1,000 volunteers on a daily
basis to keep the rehabilitation wheels turning. Volunteers have consumed 75
liters of soup per day made by the South African Navy, as well as 60 liters of
milk a day, to add to the 500 kilograms of instant coffee they have consumed
since the crisis began.

In addition, volunteers have consumed one metric
ton of sugar, 500 kilograms each of apples and oranges, an equal amount of
margarine, 2,400 eggs, 100 kilograms of peanut butter, 200 kilograms of jam, as
well as three metric tons of flour that was donated and made into bread by a
local baker.

"This rescue effort was unprecedented," said Scarth, "but
without such a massive undertaking and without the help of these thousands of
committed individuals and the work, funds and expertise of organizations such as
IFAW and SANNCOB, the African penguin population could have faced
extinction."

The International Fund for Animal Welfare works to improve
the welfare of wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing
commercial exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting
animals in distress.

IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty
to animals and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance
the well being of both animals and people.